TMJ Treatment – Temporomandibular joint or TMJ is an extremely crucial yet not-so-well known joint that connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the temporal bones of the skull. This little joint has big responsibilities to fulfil such as enabling chewing, speaking, swallowing, yawning and general jaw movement. 

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder or TMD is a terrible affliction caused by the misalignment and inflammation of the jaw joints. The facial pain coupled with debilitating symptoms shown all over the body negatively impacts quality of life and makes each day a dreadful affair for its victims. 

Many people have normalised living with TMD pain either because they want to save time and money or because they cannot seem to pinpoint the root cause of their pain. Since the symptoms are so widespread over the body ranging from migraines, lock jaw and clicks, ear aches, shoulder and back pain and tingling sensations in the arms and legs, people can never figure that it’s the jaw join that is wreaking havoc in their lives. 

It is not an understatement when we say that life before TMJ treatment is a living nightmare. You are putting yourself through so much pain each day, making it impossible to live through life in a comfortable and pleasurable manner. 

Before TMD treatment

• Recurring migraines and pain in shoulders neck and back 

It is normal to wake up with a headache once in a while, but during TMD this becomes an everyday affair.  Muscles work as a team and in tandem with one another. When the jaw muscles tense up, the strain and pain can radiate to the surrounding muscles in the cheeks and the head, causing a migraines and facial distress. This pain then radiates down to the neck, shoulder and back muscles, making them sore and tight. 

Without treatment the pain will only get more frequent and intense with time, and medicines also can do only so much. 

• Sleep related disorders

A bad bite can disrupt your sleep at night. When your jaw is misaligned or too narrow, the tongue might not get enough space in your mouth and fall back when you sleep, obstructing the airway. This leads to a serious sleep disorder called Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA. Those suffering with OSA complain of snoring, waking up often at night and overall low-quality sleep. This condition reduces the amount of oxygen that enters the body, causing symptoms like lethargy, fatigue, memory loss and lack of concentration in the morning and during the day.

• Reduced dental health

If you do not get yourself treated, you will continue to clench and grind your teeth, two very common symptoms of TMD. This continuous force on your teeth will wear them down and cause fractures and cracks. Since the involuntary action won’t stop, the dental problem won’t go away either and you will need to make multiple dental appointments to treat an array of dental problems. 

• Tinnitus 

Tinnitus is a continuous ringing in the ears that can drive you insane. Since the TMJ is so close to the ear drum, any damage to this disk can lead to tinnitus and ear ache. Rather than guessing if your tinnitus is an independent problem or a TMD symptom, get yourself checked by a TMJ Treatment specialist near you at the earliest. 

• Quality of life is affected 

Living in constant pain and distress is never the ideal way of going about your life. With constant headaches and body aches you will be forced to call sick at work, turn down social gatherings and feel irritable and hopeless all the time. Jaw pain and facial soreness will prevent you from eating your favourite meals and life will just seem meaningless and depressing after a point in time. 

• Malnutrition

The jaw pain will force you to move to a soft//liquid diet and it will impact what nutrients you ingest. Most of the times you’ll be in so much pain that you would rather skip meals than put yourself through the agony of chewing. 

• Alcohol and substance abuse

People have different ways of coping with their pain. Stress, anxiety, paranoia and depression are common among those suffering from TMD. Patients might turn to alcohol and drugs to find temporary relief from their pain. The truth is to run away from one challenging situation, you are putting yourself into a big mess. 

Life after TMJ treatment

The good news is, your pain will last only as long as you want it to last. Over the years TMJ Treatment has been gaining massive traction and recognition as a very legitimate condition, with as high has 52% of the population suffering from this condition, according to several studies conducted over the country. 

Once you visit an experienced and skilled TMJ Treatment specialist, the root cause of your pain is detected and your treatment begins. On the basis of the severity of your condition, your doctor will advise the best treatment approach suited for you.

You can sense yourself healing and improving soon after your treatment begins. You feel and live better because your jaw alignment is corrected and you are free from the constant pressure. One by one all the symptoms you were experiencing will subside and once your treatment is completed, you will feel like you have gotten a second lease of life!

Consult with our TMJ specialist today for a life free of Pain

To live a life free from pain, stress and unbearable symptoms, visit Dr Kritika Butta, the TMJ Treatment and Sleep Medicine Specialist at Dental World Superspeciality Clinics, the best dental clinic in Kolkata. She can provide solutions to manage your pain and symptoms as well as offer long term relief from painful jaw alignment issues.

Call Dental World today and book your appointment for a TMD consultation with the best TMJ Treatment center in Kolkata.